FOR RELEASE — Thursday, September 1, 2011
Norman Solomon Campaign for Congress:
North Coast ‘Listening and Speaking’ Tour
Gearing up his run for Congress in the North Coast’s new District 2, progressive Democrat Norman Solomon will be “listening and speaking” in Mendocino and Humboldt counties during Labor Day week. The appearances follow the mid-August designation of the new congressional district stretching from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border.
“I feel a deep and strong connection to California’s northern coast and its communities,” said Solomon, who has been living on the coast in Inverness Park for more than a dozen years. “This is a truly special region — not only for its stunning beauty, but also for its vibrant history of political independence and progressive values.”
Solomon’s schedule includes meetings and public events in Garberville, Fortuna, Arcata, Eureka, Ukiah and Caspar. (For details, please click here.) “Politicians make ‘swings’ through towns all the time, but I want to carefully listen, talk and connect. Our economic, social and environmental problems are extensive — but our capacity to solve them is huge when we work together.”
Solomon, author of a dozen books and a longtime policy researcher and political activist, is an outspoken critic of Washington’s failure to create jobs, protect the environment and give priority to education, healthcare and retirement security.
The new District 2 has raised concerns about a north-south wealth divide — unemployment has hit North Coast counties particularly hard — but Solomon sees an opportunity to tackle such concerns head-on.
“I went through many years of adult life near the poverty line,” Solomon said. “I understand the urgency here — people are hurting and struggling. We need Democrats in Congress who will take on Wall Street, bring our troops home, and bring that money to Main Street to create lasting employment.”
Solomon, who served as co-chair of the Commission on a Green New Deal for the North Bay, stressed the need to move beyond old jobs-versus-environment arguments. “I’m firmly committed to using federal dollars to create sustainable jobs across this district — jobs that give people real opportunity while protecting this vital and beautiful environment for future generations.”
Now in his third term as an elected delegate to the California Democratic Party central committee, Solomon was also elected as an Obama delegate from Sonoma and Marin counties to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. He is also national co-chair of the Healthcare Not Warfare campaign, along with Congressman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Donna Smith of the California Nurses Association.

In addition to appearances at Labor Day gatherings in Santa Rosa and Ukiah, Solomon is scheduled to speak at a half-dozen North Coast public events from Monday evening through Friday evening.